Betty Eagleton
Elizabeth "Betty" Eagleton, nee Prendagast was a character in Emmerdale. She is one of the village busybodies and made her first appearance in Episode 1859 (12th April 1994) and rekindled her love for her former old flame Seth Armstrong. Until her departure in 2015, she was the second longest serving female character after Victoria Sugden who was born a few weeks before Betty first arrived. Although Betty did not appear on the show inbetween December 2011 and July 2012. She was played by Paula Tilbrook, who is the current longest serving actress in the show. In late 2011 Betty went on a cruise. She returned on the 16th July 2012. Betty went on another cruise in July 2014 and Paula Tilbrook came back in May 2015 to film her final exit scenes. Paula Tilbrook had announced her retirement from the show in April 2015. Betty's departure episode was Episode 7191 (25th May 2015). She made a cameo in Episode 7381 (25th December 2015) via the internet where she Skyped Pearl and Sandy when they were in The Woolpack. She said she loves Australia. Biography Backstory Betty Prendagast was born in Beckindale on the 22nd January, the year is only known to her as she is very reticent about her age. (She has said she was born in 1934 but she almost married Seth Armstrong in 1944 and it is very unlikely she would have been prepared or allowed to get married at 10 years old). Her parents were Arthur and Nora Prendegast and she had a sister Margaret Prendegast. Betty left Beckindale in the early 1950s to work as a tiller girl in London, and she was also on the game. She met a man called Reggie Wilkie and he got her pregnant and she had an abortion which made her unable to have any more children in the future. She then returned to Beckindale and married old schoolfriend Wally Eagleton in 1954. They later left the village. After 39 years of marriage Wally Eagleton died in 1993 and Betty returned to Beckindale after years of living in Filey. On the night of the plane crash on the 30th December that year, her old flame Seth Armstrong sought refuge at her house after he had been thrown of the Woolpack by landlord Alan Turner. Many residents thought that Seth had actually returned to his home in Demdyke Row, and had died when the building was hit by wreckage from the plane. 1994-2011 60 year old Betty turned up in the Woolpack in April 1994. The village was renamed Emmerdale after the plane crash and was Emmerdale Village. She soon rekindled her love with Seth Armstrong and in Christmas 1994 they held a 1940s theme night at the Woolpack. Betty soon became known as one the the village busybodies and had a nasty streak to her. She caught Tina Dingle collecting some of Luke McAllisters belongings after his death in an accident and accused her of stealing from the dead. Betty was against Zoe Tate's 1996 lesbian marriage to Emma Nightingale and tried to call it off. In early September 1997, Betty wanted to be in a local Spice Girls tribute band but Kelly Windsor said we did not want "Wrinkly Spice" in the group. In May 1999 Alan sacked Betty from the Woolpack only to take her back on before announcing he was selling the pub. In January 2000, Betty's ex Reggie turned up in the village. It transpired that they had known each other when Betty was working as a tiller girl in London in the 1950s. Betty claimed she found she was pregnant and when she went to tell Reggie she saw him in bed with another woman and had an abortion, causing her to not be able to have children afterwards. Reggie threatened to tell Seth and blackmailed Betty. When Betty told Seth he sent Reggie packing. In March 2000 Seth was injured in the bus crash and Betty looked after him while he recovered but Seth was mugged in September 2000 and refused to tell Betty. He later told her and broke down in front of her. In 2004 she took an extended holiday to visit Kathy Brookman in Australia and Seth, who had taken an extended holiday out there. Betty returned to Emmerdale that year. Seth remained in Australia. In October 2005, Betty was all ready for Seth to return home and held a welcome home party only to be told that Seth had died on the plane coming over. Seth was buried in November 2005. After Alan Turner had all his issues over his son Terence being found to have abused Steph as teenagers which eventually lead to Terence's death, Betty grew close to Turner in terms of friendship and he then made a pass at her. 2012-2015 Betty returned from her extended holiday in July 2012, having left Emmerdale in late 2011. Actress Paula Tilbrook took a break from the show in late 2011 due to ill health but returned to filming in June and her character returned on the 16th July and was instantly doing what she does best, gossiping. Good old Betty was back. On her birthday in January 2013 Betty got drunk in the Woolpack and had to be escorted home by Victoria Sugden. Betty and Alan Turner went on a cruise shortly afterwards. She was next seen in Episode 6541 (1st May 2013). In July 2013 Betty's landlady Victoria Sugden upset Betty but made it up with a meal, in which Betty fell ill and accused Victoria of spiking her dinner. In October 2013, Betty found her long term friend Alan Turner dead in bed and gave a speech that night. She attended his funeral. In 2014, Betty gave advice to Dominic Andrews and he kissed her on the head. Betty then went on a cruise. In April 2015, Edna said Betty was in Australia. In May 2015, Victoria Sugden saw the removal men taking all of Betty' stuff out of Keepers. Betty returned to Emmerdale that day and was staying at the B&B. All her friends held a welcome home party for her. She said it should really be a bon voyage party as she is going back to Australia for good tomorrow. She met someone. Reuben Archibald is his name. She goes to where Seth is buried to say a final goodbye to him. Etched on the tree was "SA 4 BP 1944". Betty was picked up by Reuben (who looked like Seth) and she said goodbye to everyone. The car drove away as Betty left the village forever. 2015-present, Life in Australia In December 2015, Betty Skyped the locals from Australia via a webcam. In February 2018, a friend of Betty's, Maisie, came to the village to look for Sandy. She introduced herself as being a mutual friend of Betty Eagleton. Memorable info Born: 22nd January 1934 (Could be earlier but after 1925) Full Name: Elizabeth Eagleton (Nee Prendegast) Accoring to the 30 Years Of Emmerdale (Book, published in 2002) Betty's full first name is Bettina, whether this was revealed in the show is unknown. However, in December 2003 when Laurel Thomas booked Betty at ticket to Australia, she read out for "Elizabeth Eagleton". Trivia Family Father Arthur Prendegast Mother Nora Prendegast Siblings Margaret Prendegast Spouse Wally Eagleton (1954-1993) See also *Prendegast Family Tree *Betty Eagleton - list of appearances Gallery Emmie betty 1994.png|A legend arrives. Betty first appears. 12 April 1994. Emmie 8 aug 1995.png|Betty gives Tina Dingle a dressing down in August 1995. Category:Emmerdale characters. Category:Past characters. Category:Characters first seen in 1994. Category:Characters last seen in 2015. Category:Prendegast family. Category:Eagleton family. Category:Emmerdale gossips. Category:Pensioners. Category:Woolpack cleaners. Category:1934 births. Category:1954 marriages. Category:Residents of Keepers Cottage. Category:Emmerdale - Their Finest Hour (Book) Characters Category:Emigrants to Australia Category:Guest characters who became regulars